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Crytek Going 100% Free-to-Play

Just imagine Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli as Mel Gibson in Braveheart, shouting "Freedom!" Except, you know, without all the torture. Also referring to how Crytek's games will be priced from now on instead of Scottish independence. What I'm trying to say is, once Crytek is done with its current retail releases, it will only make free-to-play online games. "As we were developing console games we knew, very clearly, that the future is online and free-to-play," Yerli told VideoGamer.com.

I can't help but think that this move may be a bit premature, even if F2P is destined to be a major part of the future of how games are bought and sold. Granted, Crytek still has retail projects to finish before flipping the switch, most notably Crysis 3. However, the studio has already entered the F2P market with its new FPS shooter Warface, which has been released in Russia and is in closed beta in China.

Yerli, while speaking to VideoGamer.com, had strong words for more traditional ways of selling games. "If you look at what kind of games are done in the packaged goods market, with DLCs and premium services and whatnot, it's literally milking the customers to death," he said.

I'm not sure about that "literally" part, but I'm a fan of the F2P model, so I can see where he's coming from. What do you guys think?